Senate committee threatens Lamorde with arrest

The senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions has given Ibrahim Lamorde, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a final warning to appear before it or face sanctions.

Lamorde was scheduled to appear before the committee in August, but he failed to do so.

Festus Keyamo, the lawyer who represented Lamorde at the hearing of a petition against the former EFCC boss, explained that his client absence was due to some health issues.

He said that Lamorde, who is being accused of diversion of funds, was abroad for medical treatment.

However, Samuel Anyanwu, chairman of the committee, insisted on Tuesday that Lamorde must appear before it on a final date, which is November 24.

Speaking, Dino Melaye, a member of the committee, pointed out that committee had the powers to summon the former EFCC, emphasising that its constitutional powers must not be undermined.

He warned that the senate should not be coerced into issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of the former anti-graft czar.

Also speaking, Obinna Ogba, another member of the committee, described Lamorde’s failure to come before the committee as an insult to the national assembly.

“Enough is enough,” he said.

But Keyamo faulted the statements of the committee, saying that Lamorde had become a private citizen whom the senate had no jurisdiction over.

“The senate has no jurisdiction over private citizens. Lamorde’s failure to appear before the committee is because he thought as a private citizen the case has ended with his exit from the EFCC,” he said.

Speaking with journalists after a brief interaction with the committee, Keyamo said that the committee was ignorant of its powers.

“The senate doesn’t know it powers. I will do all I can to correct this. The senate has no power to summon a private citizen for investigation,” he said.